Metropolitan Council Concludes Fall 2003 Session

The Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in America met under the chairmanship of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman at the OCA Chancery here November 5 and 6, 2003.

The Metropolitan Council meets twice each year. Membership consists of the Metropolitan; the Chancellor, Secretary, and Treasurer of the OCA; one clergy and one lay representative from each diocese, elected by their
respective diocesan assemblies; and three priests and three laypersons elected by the All-American Council. According to the “Statute of the Orthodox Church in America,” the Metropolitan Council is charged with implementing the decisions of the All-American Council and continuing its
work between sessions; assisting the Metropolitan and the Holy Synod in Implementing decisions within the areas of its competence; establishing the budget for the operations of the Church and examining all financial reports of the Church; supervising the collection of the assessments and fees established by the All-American Council and determines the allocation of such funds; organizing plans for obtaining voluntary contributions for the satisfaction of the needs of the Church; providing for the maintenance of the central administrative bodies of the Church and for the allocation of the general Church funds; and other areas of concern for the day-to-day life of the Church.

After offering a comprehensive report on his recent visits to the sister Orthodox Churches of Constantinople, Russia, Ukraine and Poland,
Metropolitan Herman reviewed a number of issues affecting the current and future life of the Church. He noted the increase in enrollment at the OCA’s seminaries, the need to review and revise the “Statute,” reported on the election of His Grace, Bishop Nikon of Baltimore to the vacant see of Boston and the Albanian Archdiocese and the election of Archimandrite Tikhon [Mollard], Deputy Abbot of Saint Tikhon Monastery, South Canaan, PA as Bishop of South Canaan and Auxiliary to the Metropolitan, and spoke of initial plans for the impending 100th Anniversary of the founding of Saint Tikhon Monasery in 2005.

Protopresbyter Robert Kondratick, OCA Chancellor, reported on the work of the Chancery staff and the OCA’s departments and other Church ministries.

In both reports the current financial situation of the Church was given careful consideration. Metropolitan Herman and Father Kondratick noted that the 2004 proposed budget, which was adopted unanimously by the Metropolitan Council after review by the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops at their October 2003 session, was a conservative one, recognizing the need to generate additional income through individual financial gifts to the Church. Various suggestions on implementing the means to increase the level of giving to the Church were discussed, including the prospect of engaging a grant writer to seek funding for specific projects.

Other matters reviewed by the Metropolitan Council included:

Initial plans for the 14th All-American Council, slated to convene in Toronto, Ontario in 2005;

The need, affirmed by the Holy Synod of Bishops, to revise the “Statute” in conformity with civil law as well as the canonical tradition of the Church—a process that will take about one year;

A review of the duties and responsibilities of Metropolitan Council members in support of the Synodal Administration;

A report on the possible consideration of a project to construct an appropriate facility to house the OCA archives;

A thorough review of a variety of considerations related to appropriate insurance coverage on the parish level, especially with regard to matters of potential abuse cases.

At the conclusion of the session, many members of the Metropolitan Council noted that the meeting was a very “positive, upbeat and effective one,” mirroring the increased attention and growing enthusiasm for the Church’s expanding areas of ministry.

In addition to Metropolitan Herman and Father Kondratick, other Metropolitan Council members include the V. Rev. Dimitri Oselinsky, Treasurer; the V. Rev. Paul Kucynda, Secretary; Archimandrite Benjamin [Peterson]; Igumen Joseph [Hoffman]; the V. Revs. Vladimir Berzonsky, Sergei Bouteneff, Alexander Fecanin, John Onofrey, Gregory Safchuk, Victor Sokolov, Igor Soroka, John Tkachuk, Eugene Vansuch, Michael Westerberg, and Constantine White; the Rev. Lawrence Margitich; and Mrs. Cheryl Andrews, Ms. Maureen Bezuhly-Galterio, Prof. John Erickson, Mr. George Ludko, Mr. Gregory Nescott, Mr. L. William Peters, Mr. Gary Popovich, Mrs. Juliana Schmemann, Dr. Richard Schneider, Dr. Richard West, Mr. Coy Williamson, Ms. Nadine Wood, Dr. Alice K. B. Woog, and Mr. John Zoranski.